It is well recognized by those who are engaged in business requiring the maintenance of records that the storage of records is an expensive proposition. Many businesses are required to retain both active records and archival records. In either case cost reduction dictates that record storage be accomplished subject to the maximum utilization of storage space. Many record storage structures have been devised to achieve this goal. Among these are the accordion type record storage structures, wherein storage capacity is increased by utilizing horizontally displaceable, vertically extending storage racks. In such structures, the vertical storage racks are displaceable such as to create selective access aisles, thereby reducing the amount of dedicated aisle space and increasing the efficiency of the storage facility.
Although such accordion type record storage structures have been utilized with success, their structure often has resulted in an operational limit in their effectiveness. More specifically, traditional accordion style storage structures comprise a plurality of vertically extending storage racks. Each storage rack is mounted such as to horizontally displaceable. As respective racks are displaced, aisles are defined between the respective racks to provide access to records. Similarly, as vertical racks are displaced horizontally, those vertical racks between which access is not sought, are disposed in surface-to-surface contact.
As is often the case, the vertical space available in record storage areas is in excess of six feet, i.e. the typical height of storage racks to provide access without use of a ladder. The recognized approach to utilization of the space under such violations is to utilize a ladder which may be selectively positioned between racks when high access is required.
Needless to say, the continued transport of a ladder, opening this ladder, using this ladder, closing the ladder and removing it so that vertical record racks may be displaced to generate different access aisles, constitute inefficient, costly approaches to gaining access to high rack storage areas.
Accordingly, there has existed a need for some form of permanently installed means for gaining access to high storage racks which does not interfere with the operation, i.e., horizontal movement of the vertical racks. Prior to the present invention, none has existed.